Jamaicans Recount Battle to Survive Hurricane Melissa

From damaged structures to debriscovered streets, people across the northern Caribbean are recovering from the destruction of Hurricane Melissa. In Jamaica, residents encountered and recounted the battle of survive the strongest storm on record ever to hit the island nation. Here are their stories. 77year-old Alfred Hines waited barefoot through thick mud and debris in a neighborhood of Jamaica's Montego Bay on Wednesday. This is what's left after Hurricane Melissa tore through the Caribbean island. Hines recalled the battle to survive the rapidly rising flood waters. >> At one stage, I see the water at my waist and about 10 minutes time I see it around me neck here and I make my escape. >> Now with the storm gone, Hines is working to clean what's left of his home. >> I just want to get it things come back to normal. Another resident of Montego Bay, Gabrielle said she had endured the worst day of her life. >> Yesterday was horrible, horrific, terrifying, the worst day of my entire life, the worst experience of my entire life. Um, to see my place being flooded out, it's it was terrifying for me and my child. The water level reached me to my waist. I was stuck in my house. They had to break into my home to save me. Melissa struck Jamaica on Tuesday as the strongest ever hurricane to directly hit its shores. Aerial footage shows homes submerged in flood waters, roofs blown off, and trees knocked down. Before and after satellite images showed a devastation brought to locations in Jamaica by the category 5 hurricane. Officials said flood waters had washed up four bodies in the agricultural hub of St. Elizabeth and about 77% of the country was without electricity as of Wednesday morning. Jamaica's government gave an allcle to begin recovery efforts. However, emergency shelters will stay open through the week as people keep coming in from devastated homes.